Room temperature selective reduction of nitroarenes to azoxy compounds over Ni-TiO2 catalyst

•2.6 % Ni-TiO2EG−W catalyst prepared by hydro-solvothermal method using a mixture of solvents (ethylene glycol and water).•Synthesized catalyst exhibited very high activity toward azoxy compounds formation in mild reaction conditions.•Smaller Ni size and strong metal-support interaction were favouring factors for high catalytic activity and selectivity.•The reduction of nitrobenzene followed condensation route.